Disaggregating Student Outcomes by Race and Income: Educational Equity in Oregon

This research seeks to answer an emerging question in public school debates: whether race is just a proxy for income when it comes to disparities in educational outcomes among Oregon’s K-12 students. This research set out to respond to this question, and draws from public school data records to answer the question. We investigated student test scores across three different environments: elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. We also investigated student graduation rates from high school. The pattern of findings is absolutely clear: regardless of the site or type of disparities, when we compare how low-income students fare, all outcomes for students of color are weaker than that of White students. Similarly, when we compare outcomes for higher-income students, all outcomes of students of color are weaker than that of White students. We conclude that educators must address elements of racism across their institutions to ensure that race-related disparities are comprehensively addressed. Phase 2 of this research will investigate these same questions for specific school districts in Oregon

In Need of a Long Welcome: Supporting the Integration of Newcomers to Portland

Portland’s newcomer communities bring considerable assets to the region. Their legacy is one of potential untapped, as they face significant exclusion from economic and civic life, and an environment that is full of challenges without sufficient supports to help them navigate forwards into the fabric of Portland. This report, prepared in partnership with the New Portlander’s Policy Council, surfaces the history of newcomer conditions in the region, including a policy history, alongside a literature review on best practices for newcomer integration, new quantitative data on the patterns of newcomer experiences, a chapter on myths and myth-busting, and insights into five newcomer communities: Indigenous Latinos, Tongan, Iraqi, Iranian and Somali. The report concludes with the agenda for a long welcome for newcomer communities in Portland and the region